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Crowded field to follow Norwood grows

Posted: Wednesday, April 25, 2007

ATLANTA - An already crowded ballot in the race to succeed the late U.S. Rep. Charlie Norwood added three more names Wednesday as candidates continued to trek to Atlanta to officially throw their hats in the ring.

The new candidates include Denise Freeman, a Democrat from Tignall; Mark Myers, a Republican from Loganville; and Bill Green, a Republican from Braselton.

Freeman, who ran against Norwood in 1998 and 2000, was the first of the three candidates to qualify. An associate minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Lincolnton, she said she was optimistic about her chances with voters this time.

"They want someone who's going to represent them," said Freeman, 49. "They don't want someone who's going to go up there and represent special interests or special folks."

Freeman said her central issues would be education and jobs. On Iraq, Freeman said measures to fund the troops should deal only with those issues, though she declined to comment on a proposal approved by Congress that would set a date for withdrawal from Iraq.

Myers, a Realtor from Loganville, also has made bids for the seat before. In 1988, he was the GOP nominee for the seat. He also ran in 1990 and 1992.

Myers, who was drawn out of the district under a set of congressional maps passed by the General Assembly in 2005, touted an endorsement from then-President Ronald Reagan during Myers' first bid for the seat.

The 50-year-old said he believes his party needs to return to the small-government, budget-shrinking philosophy articulated by Reagan.

"He showed us how to win elections and he showed us how to govern after we win elections," Myers said.

If elected, Myers said he would focus on creating a commission to recommend cost-cutting measures, requiring spending measures to be posted on the Internet 72 hours before Congress votes on them and tightening immigration controls.

Myers also said he opposed setting a date for withdrawing from Iraq, particularly after the U.S. had overthrown Saddam Hussein, overseen his trial and guided Iraqis to their first free elections in decades.

"I guess one of the saddest things in the world is when you do 90 percent of what it takes to succeed and then you stop," he said.

In addition to Myers and Green, other Republicans vying for the seat include former state Sen. Jim Whitehead, R-Evans, who resigned his seat to run; Paul Broun of Athens; and Nate Pulliam of Conyers. Democrats who already have filed include James Marlow Jr. of Lincolnton; Erik Underwood of Atlanta; and Evita Paschall of Evans. The sole

Libertarian in the race so far is Jim Sendelbach of Conyers.

Information on candidates filing can be found at www.sos.state.ga.us/elections.